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Celebrating the history and record of channel swims
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Moulin, Fernand du - 03/09/1949
Description
Cap Gris Nez to Abbots Cliff. Started 9 p.m.
Swimmer(s)
Moulin, Fernand du
Date
03/09/1949
Successful swim number
31
Successful swimmer number
29
Successful swim number France - England
26
Duration of swim
21:59
Success/failure
Successful
(681)
Direction(s)
France-England
(736)
Number of crossings
One Way Swim
(644)
Ratified
Independent
(34)
Plarre, Bruna Wendel - 25/08/1938
Description
Covered 70 kilometers in 14 degrees of cold water. The reason for this was the current and the two changes of ebb and flow.
Swimmer(s)
Plarre, Frau Bruna Wendel
Date
25/08/1938
Successful swim number
23
Successful swimmer number
22
Successful swim number France - England
19
Duration of swim
15:33
Pilot boat
“Notre Dame de Lourdes,’ of Calais
Notes
Ratified and Observed by F.F.N.S. (Federation Francaise de Natation et de Sauvetage, i.e. French Swimming and Life-saving Federation)
Success/failure
Successful
(681)
Direction(s)
France-England
(736)
Number of crossings
One Way Swim
(644)
Ratified
Independent
(34)
Rehim, Hassan Abdel - 17/09/1949
Swimmer(s)
Rehim, Hassan Abdel
Date
17/09/1949
Successful swim number
32
Successful swimmer number
27
Successful swim number England - France
6
Duration of swim
15:46
Notes
St Margarets Bay to Cap Gris Nez
Success/failure
Successful
(681)
Direction(s)
England-France
(657)
Number of crossings
One Way Swim
(644)
Ratified
Independent
(34)
Rising, Philip - 31/08/1952
Swimmer(s)
Rising, Philip
Date
31/08/1952
Successful swim number
73
Successful swimmer number
40
Successful swim number England - France
11
Duration of swim
18:38
Notes
Shakespeare Beach 10.13 pm on 30th to Sangatte
Success/failure
Successful
(681)
Direction(s)
England-France
(657)
Number of crossings
One Way Swim
(644)
Ratified
Independent
(34)
Sharp, Miss Hilda 'Laddie' - 24/08/1928
Description
START. 12 50am. FINISH. 3 48pm. Cap Gris-Nez - Lyddon Spout. Grease; Lambs fat. Food; Coffee with condensed milk, Hot Lemonade with sugar, Beef tea. Stroke; Trudgeon, 25-27 strokes per min. Temp. 61. 62’f. Started, 5hr 08m before high tide. Neap tides. Sea calm. Wind E. S. E.
Swimmer(s)
Sharp, Miss Hilda 'Laddie'
Date
24/08/1928
Successful swim number
15
Successful swimmer number
15
Successful swim number France - England
12
Duration of swim
14:58
Pilot
William Burgess/Joe Costa
Pilot boat
Alsace
Trainer
Jabez Wolffe
Notes
38 witnesses. On board; Time keeper Joe Costa (Manager) Weighs 11 stone. 5ft 6ins tall. Laddie is a Nurse Maid. And one of nine children. Wolffe was so confident of her success that he sold some of his swimming prizes to pay the training expenses. Donald Watts, Austin Johnson and Joyce Bouch swam with her several times.
Success/failure
Successful
(681)
Direction(s)
France-England
(736)
Number of crossings
One Way Swim
(644)
Ratified
Independent
(34)
Soliman, Bakr Hussein - 15/08/1952
Description
START 3 35am. FINISH 9 47pm. Cap Gris-Nez to near Folkestone Harbour.
Swimmer(s)
Soliman, Bakr Hussein
Date
15/08/1952
Successful swim number
70
Successful swimmer number
52
Successful swim number France - England
61
Duration of swim
18:12
Notes
Finished his swim in a thunderstorm. At one time was lost. Start about 2 hrs before high tide.
Success/failure
Successful
(681)
Direction(s)
France-England
(736)
Number of crossings
One Way Swim
(644)
Ratified
Independent
(34)
Sullivan, Henry - 06/08/1923
Description
HENRY SULLIVAN (U.S.A.) 1 Jan 1893 - 22 Dec 1955, aged 63. 1923 success; START Shakespeare Cliff 5.15pm, Sun, 5 Aug.; FINISH Calais Beach 8.05pm, Mon. Aug 6th. TIME 26h 50m. E-F. Recognized by C.S.A. 16-8-1928. Folkestone Lugger Day Spring. Pilot Capt. Leslie (Joe) Smith, Capt. James Harris, Trainer John Conlon. Grease; 3 lbs. Lard. FOOD; One meal of egg and milk at 8.50pm. Age 34. Height 5ft 4ins. Weight 16 stone. Temp 62°f. High water 5.44pm. Started on the last hour of the ebb tide. He lost 20 lbs of weight during swim. Double Trudgeon and Breast stroke, 33 strokes per min. This was his 7th attempt. He received £1000 from the Daily Sketch and the Alexander challenge cup. Married with one daughter aged 4 years. Wife A. Locksberg. Married 18 July 1916. This was the longest Channel swim on record until July 2010 when Jackie Cobell took 28 hrs 44 min. On board, Seamen John Harris and Sidney Harris of Folkestone, John Conlon (Trainer), C. Manning Jack Weston junr of Dover Swimming Club, E G Amos, Mr Ben White and B. White junr, Eugene Amos (Dover Sailing Club.), Reginald Williams “Dover Standared”, Mr Tom Gatehouse, Joseph Reuben Gatehouse, Tiraboschi (Italian), Alfred Joseph Revell and Mr Cox.
Swimmer(s)
Sullivan, Henry
Date
06/08/1923
Successful swim number
3
Successful swimmer number
3
Successful swim number England - France
3
Duration of swim
26:50:00
Notes
Shakespeare Cliff st 5.15 pm on the 5th. Landed Calais Sands 8.05 p.m on 6th
Success/failure
Successful
(681)
Direction(s)
England-France
(657)
Number of crossings
One Way Swim
(644)
Ratified
Independent
(34)
Toth, Charles - 09/09/1923
Swimmer(s)
Toth, Charles
Date
09/09/1923
Successful swim number
5
Successful swimmer number
5
Successful swim number France - England
2
Duration of swim
16:54
Notes
Landed at Old Stairs between St. Margarets & Kingsdown
Success/failure
Successful
(681)
Direction(s)
France-England
(736)
Number of crossings
One Way Swim
(644)
Ratified
Independent
(34)
Vierkotter, Ernst - 30/08/1926
Description
Started Cap Gris Nez 1.32pm, finished Langdon Stairs 2.15pm
Swimmer(s)
Vierkotter, Ernst
Date
30/08/1926
Successful swim number
8
Successful swimmer number
8
Successful swim number France - England
5
Duration of swim
12:43
Pilot
Captain Salmon
Pilot boat
Europe tug
Notes
Organised and ratified by the French National Association of Swimming
Success/failure
Successful
(681)
Direction(s)
France-England
(736)
Number of crossings
One Way Swim
(644)
Ratified
Independent
(34)
Webb, Captain Matthew - 25/08/1875
Description
Temp 65°f. Porpoises sighted at 3:08 and 4:30. Mainly Breast stroke some side stroke. Start 26 strokes per min, after 1 hr 22 for 2 ½ hrs then a steady 20.
Swimmer(s)
Webb, Captain Matthew
Date
25/08/1875
Successful swim number
1
Successful swimmer number
1
Successful swim number England - France
1
Duration of swim
21:45
Pilot
Capt George Toms, (Mate) John Dodd. Five crew - Bowles, Jell, Gates, Gates, Decent, and Stanley.
Pilot boat
Lugger Ann, two rowing boats.
Notes
START 12:56 pm. Tue, Aug 24; FINISH 10:41am. Aug 25; TIME 21h 45m E-F. Step at End of Admiralty Pier to Calais Sands. Recognized by C.S.A. 16-8-1928. Grease; Porpoise Grease. Neap tide, started on half ebb. Start; 3½ hrs before high water. Tide 15ft 10 inch. Food; Ale. Beef tea.Coffee.Brandy.Cod liver oil. Allotted Witnesses were; Mr. A. G. Payne and Mr. Harry F. Wilkinson, of the Ilex swimming club. Others on board; J. B. Jones, (Editor Dover Express) Mr Warman (Dover Chronicle) Mr Bell (Illustrated News) taking pictures. George Ward (cousin). At the start the sea was so calm that the sweeps had to be plied to keep the Lugger up with the swimmer. In the last two hrs large waves were breaking over the swimmer and Webb’s haggard face could occasionally be seen above the waves. The Porpoise grease was provided by the Athone Boot Company. His woolen costume weighed 10 lbs. A French Doctor thrust himself into the room uninvited, then sent a bill for 50 Francs. On Capt George Toms Tombstone is recorded the fact that he piloted Capt Webb when he swam the Channel. Webb presented him with a gold ring. Webb had already swam 21 miles, from Blackwall to Gravesend. And Dover to Ramsgate.
Success/failure
Successful
(681)
Direction(s)
England-France
(657)
Number of crossings
One Way Swim
(644)
Ratified
Independent
(34)
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